Climbing a mountain - or 19 weeks to Challenge

Having a rest before we continue upwards, with Jenny.

Lovely spot we found in Evia.

It's been a bad "holiday". It started well enough, with my friend Jenny coming to visit and with Duncan and me having BIG plans for a romantic/active getaway, some sun, some sea, lots of sleep and time with each other. We went to Evia for a few days, enjoyed some peace and quiet and climbed a mountain.

Since then I have been ill. Temperature-doctors-tests-antibiotics - kind of ill. Unable-to-do-much-kind of ill. I have also been upset and tired, the frustration and tiredness and sadness of the last 9 months finally coming out. I even started feeling sorry for myself, which doesn't happen often.

And so I decided to do something crazy - to grab the bull by the horns and get busy. I entered Copenhagen Challenge. For those who are not familiar with triathlon, it is an Ironman distance race in August. I had a quick chat with Duncan along the lines of: "Do you think I COULD do it?" and then "Do you think I SHOULD do it?"... The decision was made and 10 minutes of electronic dealings later I was all paid up and ready!

I have been excited ever since and have been thinking about how wonderful it is to finally plan to do something I have been dreaming of doing for the last 6 years! I have been oscillating between excitement and fear, but I have decided both are good. I am embracing both - if nothing else I will need both to do the training before that start line.

So I googled "16 weeks to Ironman" looking for a vague idea of a training plan. Hmmm... Not much came up. Started to worry. "16 weeks to your first sprint" came up... Hmmm... Worry setting in, doubt gaining ground. "24 weeks to a Half-Ironman". Cold sweat... Have I bitten off more than I can chew (in the time given)?

"13 weeks to a 13-Hour Ironman". That was more like it! http://www.cluboceano.com/13.htm I liked what I saw (and could finally breathe out). There are others out there who think that you do not need 3 years to train for an IM!

I know that I am not looking at a good time. I am looking at a looooong day out there. Fine. I am fine with that. I know that 13 hours, as per the website above is very optimistic, I am fine with that too. But I also know that I want to and I can finish the race. So my journey back to tri has just taken a turn towards some sharp learning curves. I am ready to climb that mountain and I am very excited (and scared). Any ideas welcome!